Pandora Braithwaite

Last updated
Pandora Braithwaite
BornJanuary 1967
Education Oxford University
Occupation Member of Parliament
Spouses
  • Julian Twyselton-Fife (198485)
  • Jack Cavendish (198597)
Relatives

Dr. Pandora Louise Elizabeth Braithwaite is a fictional character in the Adrian Mole series of books by Sue Townsend. In the books, Pandora is the love of Adrian's life. Pandora is beautiful (Adrian especially loves her 'treacle-coloured' hair) and intelligent, and in the first books, she and Adrian Mole are happy together. In the later books, Pandora resists Adrian's advances in favour of physically and intellectually powerful men, although Adrian remains attached to her.

Contents

Character

As a youth she is precocious and outspoken with firmly feminist and hard-left views. As she ages, she becomes successful but also manipulative and devious. Pandora's portrayal throughout the novel could be likened to that of a 'champagne socialist'. Pandora was a very important character in the series

Life

Pandora's parents were called Ivan and Tania. She came to Leicester at the age of 13 and sat with Adrian during geography classes, and soon became the most popular girl in their class. She started dating Nigel, but they soon broke up. A few weeks later, on Wednesday (June 10, 1981), Adrian and Pandora started dating. They had many short break-ups, until they finally ended their relationship in True Confessions.

She attended the University of Oxford, studying Mandarin, Russian and Croatian. She graduated and married her first husband, Julian Twyselton-Fife, who was openly gay. This was a "favour" carried out by Julian. They cemented their love at London's Astoria G-A-Y nightclub after he drove for hours to pick her up. Her aversion to germs meant that she was unable to take a train. She had several liaisons and drifted apart from Adrian. Eventually she cohabited with Jack Cavendish, an old Professor of Linguistics. After many years they split up, with Jack revealing many of her secrets.

Later, she entered politics in the New Labour era under Tony Blair and became a Labour MP for Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. She referred to herself as Pan National and The Shiniest Star in Blair's Sky, nicknames that the media picked up and subsequently used. However, she vocally opposed the Iraq War and was seen to be one of the Labour Party's most left-wing MPs. As an MP she is criticised for her expensive French wardrobe and shows little concern for her constituents, declaring that 'democracy is wasted on them'.

Her autobiography, 'Out Of The Box', sells poorly. An organised signing at Mr Carlton-Hayes' book shop orders 750 copies, almost all of which remain unsold, and the police escort decides his presence is unnecessary. The book's index has 112 entries under 'lovers' but only two references to Adrian.

Nicknames

Portrayals

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Townsend</span> English writer and humorist (1946–2014)

Susan Lillian Townsend was an English writer and humorist whose work encompasses novels, plays and works of journalism. She was best known for creating the character Adrian Mole.

Adrian Albert Mole is the fictional protagonist in a series of books by English author Sue Townsend. The character first appeared as part of a comic diary featured in a short-lived arts magazine published in Leicester in 1980, and shortly afterward in a BBC Radio 4 play in 1982. The books are written in the form of a diary, with some additional content such as correspondence. The first two books appealed to many readers as a realistic and humorous treatment of the inner life of an adolescent boy, and capturing the zeitgeist of the UK during the Thatcher period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Jameson</span> English actress

Louise Marion Jameson is an English actress with a variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in Doctor Who, Anne Reynolds in The Omega Factor (1979), Blanche Simmons in Tenko (1981–1982), Susan Young in Bergerac (1985–1990), Rosa di Marco in EastEnders (1998–2000) and Mary Goskirk in Emmerdale (2022–present).

<i>Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction</i>

Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction is Sue Townsend's sixth full Adrian Mole novel. It is set in 2002/3 and Adrian is 33¾ years of age. The life of the protagonist is covered for one year, with a short epilogue that jumps to a time one year later.

Giancarlo "Gian" Sammarco is an English former child actor and nurse. He is best known for playing the title role in the television dramatisations of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ (1985) and its sequel, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1987).

<i>The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾</i> 1982 book by Sue Townsend

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is the first book in the Adrian Mole series of comedic fiction, written by English author Sue Townsend. The book is written in a diary style, and focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenager who believes himself to be an intellectual. The story is set in 1981 and 1982, and in the background it refers to some of the historic world events of the time, such as the Falklands War and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana as well as the birth of Prince William. Mole is a fierce critic of prime minister Margaret Thatcher, listing her as one of his worst enemies.

<i>The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole</i>

The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole, Margaret Hilda Roberts and Susan Lilian Townsend is the third book in the Adrian Mole series, written by Sue Townsend. It focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenage (supposed) intellectual. The title is long and often shortened to the more convenient The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole but the three names are part of the full title and represent fictional actual content of the book.

<i>Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years</i> 1993 Book by Sue Townsend

Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years is the fourth book in the Adrian Mole series, written by Sue Townsend. It focuses on the worries of the now-adult Mole. The book was first published in 1993 by Methuen. It is set in 1991 to the first part of 1992 and Adrian is 23¾ years of age.

<i>The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole</i>

The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, is an epistolary novel by Sue Townsend. It is the second in the Adrian Mole series. It focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenage aspiring intellectual and, like its predecessor, takes the form of a diary. The story takes place from 1982 to mid-1983. Prominent events in this volume are the breakup and later reconciliation of Adrian and Pandora, Adrian's attempt to run away from home and subsequent breakdown, the birth of his sister Rosie Mole, and Adrian's general worry about his O levels and nuclear war.

<i>Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years</i> 1999 novel by Sue Townsend

Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years is the fifth book in the Adrian Mole series, written by Sue Townsend. The book was first published in 1999 by Michael Joseph. It is set from 30 April 1997 until 2 May 1998. Adrian is 30 years of age. The book was made into a TV series that aired in 2001.

<i>The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole</i> (TV series) Television series

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ is a British television series based on the book of the same name written by Sue Townsend. It began in 1985 and starred Gian Sammarco as the title character Adrian Mole, Stephen Moore as Adrian's father George Mole and Julie Walters as Adrian's mother Pauline Mole.

Pauline Monica Mole is a fictional character from the Adrian Mole series, written by Sue Townsend.

<i>Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years</i>

Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years is the last instalment in the Adrian Mole series of novels by Sue Townsend. It is set between 2007 and 2008. It was released on 5 November 2009. It was the final book in the series published before Townsend's death in April 2014. She was partway through another book in the series, but this was never completed.

Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years is a British television series which was first aired on BBC One in 2001. The series was based on the fifth book from the Adrian Mole series, The Cappuccino Years. The series was produced by Tiger Aspect/Little Dancer Production for the BBC. Like the previous two TV series of Adrian Mole, this one also consists of 6 episodes. This was the final TV series produced based on the Adrian Mole series of books.

Lindsey Anne Stagg is an English former child actress known for playing Pandora Braithwaite in the television dramatisations of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ (1985) and its sequel, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1987). These were her only television appearances.

The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole is a British television series based on the book of the same name written by Sue Townsend. It aired from 5 January to 9 February 1987 and starred Gian Sammarco, as the title character Adrian Mole, Stephen Moore as Adrian's father George Mole and Lulu as Adrian's mother Pauline Mole.

<i>The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999–2001</i> 2008 book by Sue Townsend

The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999–2001 is a book in the Adrian Mole series, written by Sue Townsend. Chronologically the sixth book in the series, it was published in 2008, four years after Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction, which covers Adrian's life in 2002–2003. The book is a collection of diary entries that were originally published in The Guardian as 'The Diary of a Provincial Man'.

Asha Alice Banks is an English actress and singer. She began her career as a child actress on the West End. She made her feature film debut in The Magic Flute (2022).

References